“How do you stay inspired to write a story set in a time and or place that’s totally different from where you are?”
I don’t usually have that trouble as long as I am able to get the sit and write, because I think of my works all the time.
I get into the stories, and when I put fingers to the keyboard, it flows.
Maybe I am just insane.
I’m writing this on Tuesday, so as Patty-the-Monday-Fox and maybe others have said, research will definitely put you deeper and keep you in the time and place.
There is nothing like looking at photos, imagining clothing, and, (of course) finding out about foods of the time/place that will put you deeply then and there with your characters.
Soo far I have never farther the 1920s and even then, I have put down stories based on family occurrences, research has not been an issue, nor has keeping my mind in the when and where it happened,
plus most of those stories are short.
Book-length, I have been fairly modern and the research helps, but honestly, if I put myself there, there I am. Most of the time, if it isn’t where I have been, it’s where I would like to be, so it’s easy.
However, I imagine those who write period novels would possibly have a ‘TIME’ switching from dealing with modern, then to getting back into say, Edwardian, (or other), mindset.
I don’t go there, or at least, I haven’t, nor do I expect to.
I am rather worried that if I think about it, I might go there and then what? I have too many irons in the fire, unfinished or finished/unpolished works, as it is.
I’ll keep this short, since a lot is going on this week.
Do you have trouble keeping on target in your writing?
Angela Schroeder
Patricia Kiyono
Elaine Cantrell
Jeff Salter
Joselyn
Tonette Joyce
Four Foxes, One Hound 
You’re fortunate that when you sit down to write, you’re able to do so. Normally, I don’t have trouble staying on target, thanks to all the support through my writing groups that I mentioned on Monday. Between them, I could have a dedicated writing time with others almost every day of the week. Many of them write in genres similar to mine, so if I need to brainstorm my way out of a particular plot problem, there are usually people around willing to do so. I’m hoping that as hubby’s health improves, I’ll be able to get back into it. Right now, it’s all I can do to keep track of the many doctor and therapist visits on the calendar, and it seems when I get a chance to sit, I have trouble getting back into the story.
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I haven’t been able to. much as I expected to. I have had too many disruptions and now, Well, I should not even be online with my recent injuries. I need to get things settled down soon, and I hope that your husband’s health improves, and that you have more peace in your life.
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Totally agree with this quote, “…research will definitely put you deeper and keep you in the time and place.”
I occasionally think back to my earliest writing years, during which I thought writers could just make vague references to places and events… and that would be enough to engross the reader.
It’s not that I was especially lazy (about research), it’s just that I wasn’t mature enough in my writing to realize that it mattered so much.
Thankfully, I’m older now… wiser now — and I do a LOT of research.
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Youth or inexperience tend to make a writer go one way or another, either using the tendency to over-describe or to assume that the reader will understand and picture what you are thinking as soon as they see a vague reference. I think it is also a reason as to why so many modern writers lean on references to songs, movies, shows and songs.I think they are making major mistakes and immediately age their stories and make them irrelevant to future readers.
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